I do not enjoy driving, and I never have. I didn’t even appreciate the sentiment as a child. Never did I dream up my ideal car or the travels I intended to take. Truthfully, I’d rather rely on my parents as my personal drivers and avoid the anxiety of murdering a cat or pedestrian. That said, I was not thrilled with the task of taking my driving test for the driver’s license.

In reality, I should not have passed my driver’s test. I admit openly that I did horribly during my test. In fact, I am blaming my instructor in advance for the probable wrecks and accidents that I will be involved in.

The whole day at the Arlington DMV was brutal. I didn’t show up with the correct papers was my first bad omen. My dad went back home to retrieve the water bill that was neglected at home. It didn’t help when my anxiety kicked into overdrive while I was left to fill out paperwork on my own, waiting for my dad to show up with the proper utility bill. The gravity of the task at hand, the stern faces on the driving instructors, the beige walls and drunk driving awareness posters plastered with scotch tape—all acted as a pressure cooker.

When I finally had all the paperwork in order I was given instructions to park my car in a numbered space and wait for my instructor. My instructor showed up and I was told to parallel park. Or attempt to. It didn’t go over well. After two failed attempts, my instructor walked me through the process that I forgot six months after driving school. I eventually got it, with the patient, yet agitated, direction of my instructor. Next, we drove into the busy street where I underestimated the distance between myself and the car approaching, cutting them off in the process. Honk.

After reviewing the multiple mistakes I made during my test, my instructor reluctantly passed me. I was baffled, considering I could hardly park straight. I can’t help but assume this plays a factor in why we have so many ill-trained drivers on the road. Needless to say, I am part of the problem.

The average passing rate of drivers test falls between 60-100% according to Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) in 2011 (http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/licensing/downloads/drivingschoolpassrates_dl1.html), an excellent percentage. However, with 2,751 fatal crashes reported in 2011 in Texas (http://www.texas-defensivedriving-online.com/drunk-driving-prevention.html) , the adequacy of drivers’ tests are questionable.

The driving standards in America are low and individuals who lack driving sense and skill can easily obtain a license. The solution to what I believe the basis of many accidents and incompetent drivers— the system by which people obtain licenses—may not be such an incomprehensible: make the tests more difficult.

All this said: I apologize in advance for running over your cat. Sue the DMV.